The Monitor caught up with Georgia state representative Allen Peake, R-Macon, bright and early at 5:30 a.m. on March 26, 2015 as Peake was driving up to Atlanta for a television interview about one of the most talked-about pieces of legislation coming out of Atlanta this year, H.B. 1, Haleigh’s Hope Act. The act will provide for state-law-legal use in Georgia of low-THC cannabinoid oil, an extract of marijuana. Governor Nathan Deal is expected to sign the bill quickly.

Monitor: Congratulations on getting the 160-1 victory in the House yesterday accepting the Senate’s amendment the day before that largely endorsed your bill by a 48-6 vote. Low-THC CBD oil will now become legal in Georgia for eight medical uses. How does it feel for you as the primary steward of this legislation?… Continue Reading

Mr. Roscoe Ross is a master brick mason specializing in historic restorations. His family has practiced this form of masonry in Macon, and around the country, for one hundred and twenty-three years. Any historic brick restoration work you see as you drive down College Street is likely to have been done by Mr. Ross. About a week ago, he completed work on the restorations of the main stairs and walkway in Washington Park, the most dramatic improvement to that park in at least forty years. A few days ago, the city wisely authorized an extension of his work on the walkway down to the lower stairs.

Even a casual observer of brick work can see that Mr. Ross’ work is exceptional. The corners are crisp, the lines straight, the bricks perfectly selected, the mortar work finely done: appropriately pointed, and with the width of the mortar carefully adjusted to fit particular locations and functions. Each of the recycled and well-worn bricks of the walkway was cleansed by hand, and then turned so that its previous face was now down.

Mr. Roscoe Ross, Brick Mason, standing on the walk he is restoring at Washington Park in Macon, Georgia, March, 2015

In the U.S., police activity is mostly centered around the patrol car. In downtown Macon you occasionally see officers on bicycles, segways, or on foot, but in most parts of Bibb county they use squad cars for patrols. In Japan the center of police activity happens in a very small police station called a koban.
Police boxes are ubiquitous throughout Japan, and practically every populated neighborhood or community has one. There are different versions depending on urban or rural areas, but if you include both types, there are approximately 6,600 kobans in cities and around 9,000 chuzaishos in rural areas. The main difference is … Continue Reading

The Monitor has already covered the retaliation controversy surrounding the movement of some Milledgeville city funds away from Century Bank, and special master Patrick Longan’s recommendation to fire city manager Barry Jarrett as a result. Jarrett elected not to appeal that ruling by March 18, 2015, and Milledgeville’s City Council has not acted to fire Jarrett. That seems to indicate that special master Longan’s recommendation to fire Jarrett will not be implemented.

That kerfuffle is seen by many in the community to be a satellite issue revolving around a bigger question … Continue Reading